How To Optimise Your Outbound Campaign

Successful outbound sales campaigns rely on various components joining up in harmony and running like clockwork.
From lead research through to execution, there are many steps which businesses need to consider, as detailed in the Growthonics’ white paper, How to Optimise your Outbound Strategy for Success.

In our white paper, How to Optimise your Outbound Strategy for Success, we consider the best way in which each channel can be used to achieve just this.

For example, no outbound marketing campaign can reach its full potential without a pipeline of quality, accurate data from which to generate promising leads. Meanwhile, your outbound sales cadence is in place and your team are fully equipped and versed on using a variety of channels to communicate with their target audience.

So, let’s assume the campaign is up and running and is starting to deliver results, but you want more – how do you know if the raw potential of your data pipeline is being maximised? How do you know if your strategy was right from the start?

There are many potential holes that can create the proverbial ‘leaky bucket’, and we will touch on some of them here.

First, as has been alluded to, is the question of data. Accurate data provides a 360-degree insight into your buyers’ habits and preferences, and data enrichment is essential to yielding the maximum value out of the information you have at your disposal. From creating ideal customer profiles, and account-based profiling to contact trigger filter segmentation and verification processes, there are many ways to make sure your data is high-quality.

Once your leads are in action, simple tasks such as updating contact information can also help to optimise your outbound campaign. Keeping on top of this will reduce bounce backs, save time and ensure the right people are reached at every touch point.

Further, are these touch points the right touch points? Adopting a multichannel outbound sales strategy is far more likely to produce positive replies and, ultimately, sales. A mix of phone-based, email, LinkedIn and video communications is recommended, as this is more likely to engage all contacts via a medium they are comfortable with, as explored in our blog,
Best channels for an outbound strategy: Email, Phone, LinkedIn, Video = ALL.

How can A/B testing be applied to outbound sales campaigns?

Once a campaign is in action, a useful and precise tool for measuring results is A/B testing – a continuous form of testing, it can help to ensure optimal performance is maintained, or even enhanced.

Also known as split testing or bucket testing, A/B testing is a common and effective user experience research method. It is a way to compare two versions of the same variable by testing a recipient or recipients’ response to variant A versus variant B, helping to determine which is more effective.

Indeed, there are many areas in which A/B testing can uncover valuable insights. Each of these areas can impact metrics such as open rates, response rates, and the types of responses you are receiving.

How can A/B testing be applied to outbound sales campaigns?

We recommend that A/B testing covers the following:

• Cadence lengths: What number of touch points delivers the best results?
• Touch points: How many (and what) prospecting touch points should salespeople make before they start calling?
• Channel alignment: Is your business using the appropriate mix of channels (email, phone, video, LinkedIn) at the right time?
• Gaps between touches: Are you leaving too long or too short a gap between each follow up?
• Content: What impact do different subject lines, calls to action, layouts, personalisation and sign offs have on open and response rates?

Depending on what results A/B testing unearths, be prepared for a re-think regarding the targeting of accounts and the title or contact at your target companies. There may also be potential for further segmentation of campaigns to focus on more specific industries or service offerings.

It is important to remember that A/B testing is a continuous process driven by data. You should approach it as a task that is never complete, where there will always be room for improvement, be it outreach techniques, messaging content or the time of day you send such messages.

Crucially, once the results have been analysed and a new strategy created, you’ll need to A/B test again against an existing campaign to get a direct comparison on levels of engagement and positive response rates.

To yield the most out of your A/B testing, here are Growthonics’ top tips:

• Conduct just one test at a time
• Test just one variable at a time
• Don’t forget to test minor changes
• Measure as far down the funnel as possible
• Split your sample group randomly, but make sure it’s the same data set
• Test at the same time